


The Tainted One

by Positron_Weapon_D



Category: Chaos Rings (Video Games)
Genre: Backstory, Butlers, Canon Backstory, Gen, Maids, Nobility, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Teen Years
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-11
Updated: 2018-08-16
Packaged: 2019-04-21 13:07:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14285577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Positron_Weapon_D/pseuds/Positron_Weapon_D
Summary: He was born into the nobility, kidnapped as an infant, raised by thieves, and then taken back to his original home at the age of fourteen. He was ostracized, called names, and he never  felt like he belonged. Escher doesn't much like talking about himself or his past, and it's easy to see why.





	1. A Mother's Grief

**Author's Note:**

> My work on translating the Chaos Rings manga has resulted in a lot of Escher-based inspiration. I'd had this idea for a long time, but I'm finally getting around to writing it. So without further ado, here's the prologue!

Camille had never run so fast in her life, no had she ever been so afraid. Not for herself, of course, but for her son...her sweet baby boy, who was only six months old, and the light of her life. While it was true that his birth resulted in many complications to her life, she loved him with all her heart...and she wanted him back.  
  
With the hand that wasn't carrying the note that had been left in her son's crib, she pushed open the door to the study within the manor. This situation was desperate, and there was only one person she could ask for help. As much as she hated the idea of asking him for anything at all, she needed to do it. She'd do anything to get her boy back safe and sound.  
  
As she'd been told he would be, the viscount was in his study, and he looked up from his desk in surprise and annoyance.  
  
"Camille, you should know better than to enter my study without knocking."  
  
Yes, she should know better. She was very lucky she didn't catch him in a more...compromising position, with one of the other maids bent over his desk. The thought made her angry, as it had the first time she'd witnessed it, but she didn't have time to think about that now.  
  
"Forgive me, milord..." she said, hurrying over to him. "It's an emergency, and I need your help!"  
  
He raised his eyebrows. "Is that so?"  
  
She set the note down in front of him, willing herself not to cry. "This morning, when I went to check on Escher, he was gone...and this was there."  
  
"Escher..." he repeated. The look on his face indicated that he was attempting to remember if he'd met anyone by that name. Camille clenched her fists, desperately trying to control her anger...she had to. If she lost her temper with him, she wouldn't get any of his help.  
  
He looked down at the note, and he seemed to recognize what she was talking about. "Ah, yes...your child."  
  
That was it. She couldn't take any more of his disinterest. She leaned over and put her hands on his desk.  
  
" _Our_ child, Jakob!" she shouted. "He's your son, and you know he is! And they're going to kill him if they don't get a ransom!"  
  
He glared at her. "Do not raise your voice to me, Camille. Especially since we agreed that you and the child would be permitted to stay here in exchange for your confidentiality on the matter."  
  
She scoffed at him. "Oh, _please!_ Everyone knows, even with my silence! He has your eyes, and he looks more and more like you the older he gets! And with your apparent inability to control yourself, it was only a matter of time before you got careless and you ended up with an illegitimate child!"  
  
He stood up. "Mind your tone, Camille." The look in his eyes was frightening, but she didn't move. Her son's life was in danger, and she could only imagine how terrified he was. The fear of being backhanded by Jakob was nothing in comparison. "Now what is it that you want from me?"  
  
"Did you read the note?!" she asked incredulously. "That ransom...you pay me, so you should know that I can't pay that! But _you_ can, Jakob...and if we catch them in the act, we can turn them over to the authorities and you'll get the money back. Please...you to have to do it!"  
  
He grimaced. "You should know that someone of my station would not ever do something so devoid of dignity as bargaining with lowborn kidnappers." She had to hold her tongue, lest she make a remark about his eagerness in chasing skirts of lowborn women. "And I certainly would not stoop to such a level for the return of a bastard son! The idea is preposterous." He sighed. "I do have access to the realm's knights, however...if I write a letter to my brother requesting aid from those knights, then he will undoubtedly be of help."  
  
"Writing a letter will take too long!" she protested. "By the time it arrives, our son could be dead! Jakob, please, you have to be reasonable!"  
  
"Nonsense. The knights are extremely capable. We'll have little Asher back in no time."  
  
That was it. She couldn't take it anymore. She slammed her fists down on his desk, trembling with rage.  
  
" _Escher,_ you pompous ass...his name...is _Escher!_ " She couldn't keep herself from crying, though her tears were now charged with rage in addition to worry and sadness. "Don't you care at all?! His lineage aside, an innocent child could die... _will_ die...without your help!"  
  
"I _am_ helping, you idiotic harlot," he snapped. "I just told you I was. And might I add that you're lucky to be receiving any help from me at all, what with the way you're speaking to me." He laughed. "You really did turn out to be more trouble than I  ever could have expected. And you're not quite as easy on the eyes anymore, since your figure has...deteriorated slightly."  
  
"Because I had a baby!" she shouted. "A baby whose life is now in danger because of your stubborn pride!"  
  
"Once more, Camille, I _am_ helping."  
  
"Stop it, Jakob. Just stop." She turned away from him. "When I told you I was pregnant, you tried bribing me with almost as much money as that ransom to get me to end it. You never wanted Escher to exist, and I know you're thinking that this this is convenient. Write your stupid letter...it might as well be your hand that kills our son."  
  
She began to leave the study, since talking to Jakob was getting her nowhere. She didn't know what she would do next, but she couldn't waste any more of her time here.  
  
But before she left, she had one more thing to say to him.  
  
"You know...Escher might be a so-called bastard by the circumstances of his birth, but _you_...are a bastard by disposition, regardless of your noble status. A pathetic, selfish man who won't even save the life of an infant in danger. And I can only hope that you'll have a change of heart, lest your mistakes come back to haunt you."  
  
With that, she left, slamming the door behind her. She'd managed to stop crying only briefly, but all too soon, she was sobbing again. This time, however, she felt only despair. The note said if the local authorities were contacted, then they'd kill Escher, so she had nowhere else to go.  
  
Her knees gave out...the thought of someone murdering her child was too much, but at the same time, there were very few plausible scenarios at this point that would result in Escher's life being spared.  
  
All she could do was hope that among the kidnappers was someone with the tiniest shred of mercy. Maybe they weren't killers by nature, and the idea of killing an infant would be too much for them. Maybe they would see his adorable smile or hear his sweet little laugh and find that it warmed their hearts...  
  
However, she knew that she was only in denial thinking about possibilities like that...and that she'd likely never see her son again.


	2. Returning Home

Escher was still in shock as he rode in the back seat of a car fancier than he'd ever been in. He didn't understand anything that was going on, and what he'd seen...he'd never be able to forget it.  
  
As someone who had lived with thieves and kidnappers for almost all of his fourteen years of life, he'd seen a lot of violence. He'd been subjected to violence himself on numerous occasions. But he'd never seen such...bloodshed.   
  
They weren't perfect people by any means, but they were the only family he'd ever known...and he watched a whole group of knights murder them. They fought hard, but daggers and knives couldn't compare to swords and lances.   
  
It was like he had frozen up, and he couldn't do anything but watch as the men who raised him were slaughtered like animals. Finally, when one of the knights approached him and asked if he was Escher. He had nodded, his eyes wide with horror as a result of the bloody scene around him.   
  
"We found him!" the knight had called out, and for a mere moment, Escher thought that maybe the killing would stop. However, he was wrong. The knight who had gone up to him led him away while the others went back to murdering all of the thieves.   
  
"Come with us, milord. We've come to take you back home, where you belong."   
  
As Escher thought back on those words, he couldn't help but feel that he already didn't belong...and he hadn't even gotten there yet. And the knight addressed him as "milord..."   
  
The thieves told him they'd taken him from some rich family that refused to pay the ransom to get him back, but "milord" was something only a nobleman got called. There was no way he was of noble birth...he just couldn't be. The idea was too weird.   
  
Without thinking, he spoke. "Where exactly...are you taking me?"   
  
The driver looked into his rear view mirror at Escher before responding. "Did they not tell you, milord?"   
  
"Uh..." He sighed. "They said they were taking me home, but...the place where they took me from was the only home I'd ever known." He sighed. "I mean, I knew that I must have a birth family somewhere. That I was kidnapped and held for ransom, but my family never paid up. So I figured they didn't want me then, and I don't see why they'd bring me back now."   
  
"Actually, milord, your father has been looking for you for quite some time, but..." The driver hesitated. "Well, perhaps it's best that I let your father explain the situation to you himself."   
  
That was strange...and Escher still had a lot of questions. He figured he might at least try to get one more in. "Another thing...people keep calling me that. 'Milord' is a thing that only noblemen get called. So...does that mean...?"   
  
"That's right. You're of noble birth. Well, technically speaking, anyway. You're the only surviving heir to your father's title as viscount, which makes you-"   
  
"A baron?!" Escher asked incredulously.   
  
"Yes. I see you're quite a sharp young man!"   
  
Escher leaned back into his seat. His head felt like it was spinning. "No way, I mean...that can't be true. Me, a noble? That's just...w-well, it doesn't seem like me!"   
  
"That's understandable. You've lived among common folk for so long that the idea is foreign to you. But not to worry. You'll adjust to your new life. I can only imagine the hardships you went through...though I'm sure you're stronger because of them."   
  
"I..." He looked out the window, watching the scenery change. They were now in a much nicer part of town. "I just saw the people that raised me get slaughtered. I watched, and I couldn't do anything. I just...froze. I sure as hell don't feel strong."   
  
The driver sighed. "I'm sorry...if only you could have been spared the sight of such bloodshed...but hopefully your new life - or rather, the life you should've had all along - will be one where you can reconnect with your father."   
  
"Just my father?" Escher asked. "Is there anyone else?"   
  
"I'm afraid not. But as I said, your father will explain."   
  
The rest of the drive was spent mostly in silence. Escher couldn't do much of anything except stare out the window, wondering where he was going.   
  
And then, they pulled into a driveway of an enormous manor. His jaw dropped...there was no way this was his house! A fountain out front, perfectly trimmed hedges, gleaming white pillars holding up higher floors...this was the kind of place the thieves would rob! Which made sense, considering they'd stolen him from his crib thirteen years ago...   
  
"This is your new home," the driver announced. "Or rather, your original home. I do seem to recall being told that you were born on the manor’s grounds..."   
  
He pulled up in front of the door and stopped the car, getting out and opening the door for Escher.   
  
"Uh, thanks..." He was so overwhelmed by all of this, but he didn't want to be rude.   
  
Two men in suits - one who appeared to be middle aged, and another who looked to be in his late teens or early twenties - walked over to him from the double doors at the front of the house. They were obviously butlers, or something like that. The younger butler also seemed to have quite a lot of energy, based on the speed at which he walked and the smile on his face. He was very tall, but with a wiry build, and although his hair and eyes were both a very dark brown, he seemed to have a very bright and cheerful personality.  
  
"Welcome home, milord," the older one said, bowing to him.  
  
"Yes, welcome home!" the younger one said, also bowing. When he stood back up, Escher noticed that his enthusiastic smile was still present. This guy seemed really happy to meet him. "Once I heard you had been found, milord, I was overjoyed that I would finally be able to meet you, and that I would be one of your personal attendants! After all-"   
  
"Gabriel," the older butler said sternly. "I do believe I instructed you on this."   
  
"R-Right! My apologies..." He cleared his throat. "My name is Gabriel, and although I'm still a butler in training, I will do my best to serve you well and serve you proudly!"   
  
"Uh...nice to meet you too," Escher said. "But...what’s a personal attendant?"   
  
"I will explain everything as I show you to your room," Gabriel told him. "I have also been thoroughly briefed on everything you need to know about what happened before you were taken, which I will also explain. Now, if you would please follow me, we must get you into a more appropriate state to meet with your father!" He rushed over to the front doors and opened one of them. "Right this way, milord!"   
  
Escher was still a little surprised by the young butler's enthusiasm, so he hesitated for a moment before following him.   
  
Once he was inside the house, he was shocked again. The place was massive! And it was beautiful, too. The floors were made of some sort of stone that looked so clean and shiny that you could eat off them, and the large windows he had seen from the outside allowed for plenty of natural light. There were some paintings on the walls, a few statues here and there, and even the lamps and tables and other pieces of furniture looked like pieces of art.   
  
In a strange way, looking around at this beautiful place made him feel like maybe things wouldn't be so bad. That was stupid, of course...Escher had learned a long time ago that appearances weren't everything.

"Please, follow me, milord!" Gabriel called out to him.  
  
Escher walked quickly to catch up to him, and he followed him out of the enormous foyer and down a hallway.   
  
"So...what did you mean by getting me into a more appropriate state?" he asked.   
  
Gabriel smiled. "With all due respect, milord...your clothes are dirty and worn, your hair needs a trim at the very least, and you seem to be in need of a bath, based on how dirty your face is." Escher reached up and rubbed his cheek. Sure enough, there was dirt on his palm when he looked at it. "But don't worry! I drew you a bath once I was told you were on your way, and we've readied new clothes for you! They may not fit entirely, but we'll have them tailored after we take your measurements."   
  
"Uh...wow. O-Okay..." Escher certainly wasn't used to anyone fussing over him like this. In fact, it was usually quite the opposite. One thing was still bothering him, though. "So, Gabriel...if it's all right...can we drop the whole 'milord' thing? It's kind of weird for me..."   
  
Gabriel looked hesitant. "W-Well, I suppose I can understand that. Since you spent most of your life up until now unaware of your lineage...however, I am a butler-in-training. If I'm caught addressing you informally, it may...cause a lack of advancement to being a full-fledged butler." He took a deep breath. "However, a butler's duty is to serve his master, and if you wish to be called by name, then I shall do so! Even so, might I suggest a compromise?"   
  
Escher blinked. "What would that be?"   
  
Gabriel smiled. "When it's just the two of us, I will call you by your first name. But when there are others present, I will address you as 'Lord Escher,' so as not to seem informal. Does that seem suitable?"   
  
Escher thought it over. While being addressed so formally still felt strange, at least he knew it would only be some of the time with his butler, and even the more formal version still included his name.

"That...works for me," he said, trying not to make his hesitation on the matter too apparent. Gabriel seemed proud of the idea, and picking on someone who seemed so genuinely nice wasn't really Escher’s style.

"I'm glad! Now, Lord Escher, we are almost to your room."  
  
Almost? This hallway sure was long...but he got the feeling that from here, maybe his transition into his new life would be on the smooth side. He just hoped his father was as nice as the people he'd met so far, even if he didn't think that was likely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Regrettably, Escher doesn't have too much to say in this one...a lot of it just has to do with his thoughts. Due to that, his behavior may seem sort of OOC in this chapter, but that's really just because he's got a LOT to process. Don't worry, though! The wiseass Escher we all know and love will slowly emerge as he recovers from the shock.


	3. Settling In

As if Escher hadn't seen, heard, or experienced enough surprising things throughout the day, he found himself staring in awe at the room he'd just been told was his.   
  
The room he'd had in the thieves' hideout could fit inside this one several times over! It was especially shocking when he considered that he hadn't always had the room to himself. The carpets were such a bright white that he was afraid his dirty shoes would ruin them, and the bed alone was massive. It looked so comfortable that he just wanted to flop down on it...but he also knew he was filthy at that moment. Aside from that, there was a shiny wooden desk, two armchairs, a large window, and various other pieces of furniture that looked as nice as the ones he'd seen along the way.   
  
"This...is really my room?" he asked.   
  
Gabriel smiled. "Yes, um..." He closed the door behind him. "Yes, E-Escher, this bedroom is yours! Is it to your liking?"   
  
He sighed. "I mean...yeah. It's almost too nice..."   
  
"I'm sure it seems that way, compared to your previous residence. Now, your bath is waiting! The bathroom is all yours as well. Please, allow me to assist you."   
  
At first, Escher was shocked at the prospect of having a bathroom all to himself, but he started walking toward an open door that he figured was the bathroom.   
  
It was equally nice as everything else he'd seen so far. Everything was perfectly clean and tidy, and the bathtub was huge! There was even a shower in the same room that was separate from the tub.   
  
"I would recommend getting in the shower to rinse off first," Gabriel said. "That way, you can soak and really enjoy your bath."   
  
"Okay," Escher said. He was ready to get undressed, save for the fact that the butler was still standing there. "Uh...could I maybe...get a little privacy?"   
  
"You...wish to undress yourself?" he asked, almost baffled by the idea. Escher nodded. "I...I suppose so. Let me know when I might come in to assist you."   
  
"T-To assist me?!" Escher repeated. He felt himself getting embarrassed just from the idea. He'd only just met this guy! He wasn't about to show off so much to anyone, let alone someone he just met! "Uh, n-no, that's too...I, um..."   
  
Gabriel sighed. "That's right. You are at that age. And if you're not used to such things, it would seem rather daunting. Very well, I understand. I will wait outside, though! That way, I can tell you what you need to know!"   
  
Escher was sort of curious to know what Gabriel meant by him being "at that age," but he was more interested in knowing more about the life he had before living with the thieves...even if that life consisted mostly of wearing diapers and wallowing in  a puddle of his own drool.   
  
He did as his butler suggested and showered first before getting into the bath. It definitely wasn't a bad idea...he never realized how covered in dirt and grime he constantly was until he could shower in a bathroom like this.   
  
"How's the temperature?" Gabriel called out. "Is it to your liking?"   
  
"Oh...yeah, it's great," he replied. "So...what's all this stuff I need to know about before I meet with my old man?"   
  
"Ah, yes. The story of your life here." He paused. "I wasn't working here at the time - I was far too young, of course - but I've been told all of the details. Now, I don't wish to speak ill of your father, but..."   
  
Escher sighed. "No need to sugar coat it. I already don't like the guy. He refused to pay the ransom to get me back, which is kind of a dick move, if you ask me. So basically, unless something about him turns out to be really great, I already don't like the guy."   
  
"In that case, I won't hold anything back. But you have to promise that you won't tell anyone who told you all the unsavory details!"   
  
"You know what the guys who raised me would do to rats? It wasn't pretty. I'm not one to go around squealing."   
  
"...Very well." Gabriel cleared his throat. "The viscount, Lord Jakob, was married once, before you were born. That union produced three sons and two daughters before his wife passed away. However...it would seem he isn't suited to monogamy. Even before his wife's passing, he...rather enjoyed the game of seduction. To be more precise, he likes luring in women of the lower class using his charm, wealth, and power. He, well...seems to have a certain fondness for maids."   
  
Escher wrinkled his nose. "Sounds like a real stand-up guy."   
  
"Your words, Escher, not mine. Now, your mother, Camille, was a maid employed here at the manor, and regrettably, she was exactly the sort of prey Lord Jakob liked. Not only was she beautiful, but she was also a member of the working class, and she was young. She didn't know any better."   
  
"In other words...I was an accident baby from a dirty old man with a thing for maids. This day just keeps getting better and better."   
  
"W-Well...I wouldn't put it quite so harshly. Your mother was only nineteen years old when you were born, but apparently, she took excellent care of you. She loved you very deeply, despite how much she ended up hating your father. She caught him in his study with one of the other maids while she was expecting, and that was the end of that. Apparently Camille had quite the temper, too!"   
  
Escher sighed. That would certainly explain where he got it. There was another question weighing on his mind that he almost didn't want to ask. "...So I'm guessing, based on the fact that you're referring to her in the past...that my mom's not around anymore?"   
  
"Sadly, Camille passed away not long after you were taken. She slowly began to wither away as her grief consumed her. She believed that you had been killed since the ransom was never paid, and she lost all hope for your return."   
  
Escher stayed silent. So along with the thieves, the only other person who gave a crap about him was dead. Wonderful.   
  
"She begged for your father's help on multiple occasions, of course," Gabriel continued. "The ransom was too high to pay on a maid's salary, and Lord Jakob didn't like the idea of bargaining with common thieves to save the life of a child with an...impure bloodline."   
  
"Fantastic..." Escher muttered. "So why the sudden change of heart? What made him want me back now?"   
  
"I wouldn't so much call it a change of heart. More like a change of...what he wanted." He paused. "Your father remarried sometime after Camille passed, and that marriage produced one more son and two more daughters. But Lord Jakob still hadn't settled down, nor had he learned from his experience with Camille."   
  
"He knocked up another maid," Escher said bluntly.   
  
"Ah...yes," Gabriel told him. "This one, however, refused to accept that she wasn't the only woman in his life, and that her child wouldn't be the only heir. So...she took action to eliminate his wife and his children. About four years ago now, she poisoned all of the older children, as well as his wife, and the younger ones were smothered as they slept."   
  
Escher was surprised by that. "She was so obsessed with my dad that she killed eight people? That's twisted..."   
  
"It is. And she was proud of her crimes. She didn't even bother to cover them up. Apparently, she went to Lord Jakob gleefully expressing that they could be together. She went straight to prison, and it was rumored that after all that, she gave birth to a girl."   
  
"In other words, she wouldn't be able to inherit his title anyway," Escher said.   
  
"Correct. Thus began the search for you. Your father hired a detective to spend some time gathering information to find out whether or not there were any criminal organizations in possession of a boy your age, though possibly under a different name. He was surprised when reports of a young man with skills so respected among the community by the name of Escher turned up! When he saw photographs the detective had taken, he couldn't deny the resemblance. He wrote to a family member to ask that a faction of knights raid the hideout, and...well, you know what happened from there."   
  
Escher sighed heavily. Everything about today was a lot to take in. He didn't like the idea that he was being used, but in a way, that made him want to meet his father even more, so that he could tell the guy off.   
  
He figured he'd spent enough time soaking as well, so he got out of the tub, and he reached for a nearby towel. He felt that by that point, he shouldn't have been surprised by how luxurious all of the items in the house were, but at the same time, he'd never felt such a soft towel in his entire life.   
  
"Anyway, Escher," Gabriel continued. "When you're dressed to your preferred comfort level, please let me know. From there, I can get you looking as sharp as a young baron ought to look! This is, after all, the first time you'll be truly meeting your father."   
  
Escher sighed. "From what you just told me, it seems like what I was wearing before would be more appropriate for meeting with such a dirtbag."   
  
Gabriel laughed. "W-Well, regardless of his character, your father is a member of the nobility! And as a noble yourself, there's nothing wrong with looking the part!"   
  
Noticing that he didn't actually have any clothes laid out, Escher was a bit uncertain as to how he ought to proceed. Luckily, he did notice a bathrobe hanging on a hook nearby the towel rack, and he opted to use that to make himself decent.   
  
"All right, Gabriel," he said. "You think you can make a ruffian like me look like a proper noble? Let's see if you can back up such a confident claim with action!"   
  
The butler-in-training stood up straight, a proud, determined expression spreading across his face.   
  
"In that case, Escher, I'll be sure to give no less than my best!"   
  
Escher couldn't help but smile a little. Even though his father wasn't exactly an outstanding citizen, at least there was one person here that he felt like he'd get along with. He didn't know people like Gabriel - sincere, dedicated, and honestly kind - still existed. It was refreshing, in a way, and Escher felt oddly comforted by the idea of someone close to him that he could trust. Friends that would stab you in the back - literally or figuratively - without a second thought got old pretty quickly, in his experience.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah yes, more of that Escher smartassery that I promised. And it's only about to get worse...or maybe "better" would be the more appropriate word? Not going to lie, I love how much of a little jackass he is sometimes!


	4. A Heartfelt Reunion

Even if Gabriel gave off an air of naïveté overall, his butler skills were obviously top-notch. Every time Escher caught sight of himself in something shiny - which could describe a number of objects in his father's study - he was a little surprised. It was amazing how a guy could be so easily transformed by a haircut and a change of clothes.  
  
He was quickly distracted from that, however, when he recalled that there were eyes on him. A pair of blue-gray eyes that were exactly like his, positioned on a face that was also eerily similar to his. He snapped his head back to meet those eyes, belonging to his father, and he couldn't help but feel like he was being watched by some sort of predatory animal...though from what he'd heard about his old man, calling him a predatory animal wouldn't be out of the question.   
  
It had been about a minute since he'd been called into the study, and all that time, his father just watched him. He didn't like it...having spent a good deal of his life pickpocketing and committing other crimes, Escher never liked when anyone watched him too intently. And with the lack of conversation, it was especially unnerving.   
  
Finally, his father spoke up. "Escher, my son...it's good to see you back here safe and sound at long last."   
  
He offered him a smile just as fake as his words and the attempt at familial warmth in his tone of voice. Escher wasn't sure what pissed him off more...the fact that he had to feign happiness upon seeing his own son, or the fact that he obviously expected Escher to believe that what he was trying to convey was genuine.   
  
Escher scowled, leaning back in his chair. "You need to take some acting classes, old man. I'm young, but I'm not stupid, and even an idiot would probably follow that line up with, 'Well, why didn't you try to find me sooner, or pay my ransom?'" He locked eyes with his father once more. "So why don't you try again, but be honest with me this time?"   
  
The fake smile on Lord Jakob's face twisted into an annoyed grimace, and the utter disgust on his face was more than apparent. "What a surprise. It seems you're just as troublesome as your mother was."   
  
Escher grinned, very pleased with himself for being able to get under the old man's skin so quickly. "Now _that's_ more like it! Though it's kind of unfair to try and insult me with something I can't even counter." He sighed. "After all, I never did get to know my mother, seeing as I've spent the last thirteen years living with a bunch of thieves."   
  
"I'm fully aware of that," his father told him. "I _am_ the one who saw to it that you were rescued, after all. It wouldn't kill you to show a bit more gratitude."   
  
"Gratitude? For what?" Escher stood up. "I just saw dozens of people get killed because of your little rescue mission. I'd never seen someone die before..." He leaned over his father's desk. "For someone my age...that's the kind of thing that sticks with you, or so I've heard. Exposing a fourteen-year-old kid to such violence...is that really for the best?"   
  
"Common thieves are the lowest forms of life," his father responded. "If anything, I've done the world a favor by having them slaughtered like livestock."   
  
That pissed Escher off even more. True, the thieves weren't perfect, but they raised him, and they taught him everything he knew. "Lowest forms of life, you say? I guess it takes one to know one."   
  
His father stood up. " _What_ did you say?"   
  
Escher didn't even flinch. After costing the thieves a lot of money by "accidentally" losing a potentially lucrative "product," he'd ended up as a punching bag for them. An old viscount like his father didn't scare him in the least.   
  
"I think you know exactly what I said," Escher told him. "And I don't know if I'm feeling up to wasting the oxygen that would be required to repeat myself."   
  
"You mouthy brat..." his father hissed. "I am your father and you _will_ show me some respect!"   
  
Escher saw Lord Jakob raise his hand as if to slap him, and in an instant, his body reacted. His years of conditioning and martial arts training, as well as his honed survival instincts kicked in before he had the chance to think about it.   
  
He reached up and grabbed his father's wrist, keeping his hand from striking him. Though Escher was shorter, his strength was obviously greater. In frustration, his father tried to use his free hand to attempt to retaliate, but Escher stopped that too. For good measure, he twisted that arm just before the point where it would break.   
  
"I may be a mouthy brat," Escher told him. "But I've heard that you could be called a lot of other things that are way worse. And if you ever try to hit me again, I'll do more than just restrain you."   
  
"You wouldn't _dare,_ " Lord Jakob sneered.   
  
Without breaking eye contact, Escher twisted his father's arm just a bit more, though still not breaking it. He wanted to prove that he wasn't someone to be trifled with simply because he was a child.   
  
"Do I look like I'm playing around, old man?" he asked.   
  
He knew for a fact that he didn't, and if his father said otherwise, it would be a flat-out lie. The two of them glared at each other wordlessly for a while, but finally, one of them gave in.   
  
"Fine," his father spat. "I won't attempt to strike you again, even if your behavior merits it. Now let me go, Escher."   
  
With some apprehension, Escher let him go, and he cautiously went back to his chair and sat down again. He watched as Lord Jakob examined his wrist in some annoyance, and he eventually sat back down.   
  
"Hmph. The purpose of this meeting was mostly to determine how much work needs to be done with you. And clearly..." His father glared at him again. "There is much that needs fixing."   
  
"Fixing?" Escher repeated. "No need. I like how I am."   
  
"Nonsense. You're no longer some urchin living among thieves. You're a baron, and you need to be taught to act like one."   
  
"Right. Because you stuck it in some psycho." Escher smirked at him. "Sticking it it in the crazy...that's an amateur move!"   
  
"I'm not sure if you're spouting vulgarity simply to anger me or not, but it will need to stop. You'll be needing instruction on how to behave like someone of your station as soon as possible. But for the time being, I've no need of you. You may go."   
  
Escher stood up. "It's about damn time. Guess you're not one for the touchy-feely stuff. Fine by me, though..." He made his way to the door. "But let me tell you this: if you're planning to break me like a wild horse, forget it. Nobody's up to the task. All you're gonna get from me is disappointment on that front." He didn't even wait for a response before leaving the study and slamming the door behind him.   
  
"I take it you and your father didn't have much of a heartfelt reunion, then."   
  
Gabriel's voice made him nearly jump out of his skin, but Escher quickly recovered, trying not to show his surprise. "Gabriel...w-what makes you say that?"   
  
His butler laughed. "Well, people don't generally slam the door when leaving a room where a _good_ conversation just occurred. There's also your facial expression..."   
  
Escher sighed heavily. "He tried to slap me, but I blocked his hit."   
  
"I'm so sorry to hear that," Gabriel said. "You must be quite strong to block an attack from a grown man! Though I can't imagine it must feel very nice to have your father raise his hand against you..."   
  
"Hmph. I can handle the likes of him..." Escher tried to sound disinterested, but in truth, the butler was right. One of the first things his father tried to do after years of being separated was smack him around, and somehow, the thought of that hurt more that any slap from a rich old guy ever could.   
  
"I...I see." The look on Gabriel's face indicated that he didn't quite believe that Escher wasn't emotionally affected by the whole thing, but he didn't continue the discussion. Escher didn't know if it was due to some sort of expectation of propriety for butlers, or simply that they didn't know each other very well. Either way, he was glad that Gabriel didn't ask about it any more.   
  
Then again, the awkward pause that followed wasn't exactly ideal. Escher felt like he had to think of something else to talk about, and quickly.   
  
"So, uh...is there anything else I should know?" Escher asked. "Or anyone else I need to meet, or that kind of thing?"   
  
"Well, you will have another personal attendant," Gabriel said. "However, she's visiting her mother today. She'll be here tomorrow morning, though! She's...quite something..."   
  
Escher was almost afraid to ask what Gabriel meant by "quite something," but luckily, he didn't have to.   
  
"Ah, though we do have some time before dinner!" the young butler continued. "I could show you around the manor grounds! There's still much you've yet to see!"   
  
"That works for me," Escher said with a shrug. "This place did look pretty huge from the outside. Though...I guess there's one thing I'd like to do first..."   
  
"And what might that be? Please, let me know, so that I can help!"   
  
"Well, uh...it's not exactly anything major, but..." Escher sighed. "Can I change out of these clothes? I look great, but...I'm not used to wearing things like this..." He smiled. "If there's something more casual but still baron-appropriate, I think I'd like to change into that."   
  
Gabriel smiled. "Of course! We can head back to your room, and I'll help you pick something out! Now, right this way!"   
  
Escher followed along, letting out a sigh of relief that he hoped Gabriel wouldn't notice. While it was true that he wanted to get of the stuffy, formal outfit he was in, his pride wouldn't allow him to admit that he didn't quite know the way back to his room yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's not that he has no sense of direction! It's just that usually, in a big house like that, he'd have studied the blueprints ahead of time! Really! Escher's also right to be worried about Gabriel's description of his other attendant...I've already started the next chapter, and writing that particular character is a LOT of fun!


	5. Not a Typical Maid

The first thing Escher became aware of as he stirred from a long night of sleep was how unbelievably comfortable his bed was. It was so soft, and the blankets were warm without being too stuffy. Despite how rough the previous day had been, he didn't have a single nightmare, or any dreams at all. He had no idea that a nice bed could offer such a peaceful night's sleep.  
  
However, contrasting all of that were voices outside his door that didn't seem quite as intent on letting him sleep. In fact, one of them was yelling.  
  
"Seriously?!" said an unfamiliar voice belonging to a young woman. "They bring him back when I'm not around?! I am _so_ going to spit in Lord Jakob's tea for that!! I bet he did it on purpose, too!"  
  
"Lisette, please!" a panicked whisper responded, and Escher recognized the voice as belonging to Gabriel. "You _really_ need to keep your voice down!"  
  
"Come on, Gabriel!" the woman, apparently named Lisette, replied. "If Lord Jakob wanted to fire me, there are about a hundred other things he could have chosen beforehand!"  
  
"I don't doubt that, but Lisette, it's six in the morning, and Lord Escher is fourteen years old! All that yelling is going to wake him up, and that's hardly a pleasant way to awaken!"  
  
"In that case, I'll go check on him myself!"  
  
"Lisette, please wait!"  
  
Escher tried to sit up as his bedroom door opened, but it was as though his bed was trying to lure him back for more sleep. He reached up to rub at his eyes, so he didn't get a good look at the person who squealed out his name, and then, in a split second, started hugging him.  
  
He had no idea what was going on. Even Gabriel's eager introduction still didn't involve a hug! At least, he thought it was a hug...it felt like his ribs were going to break. And he could have sworn that the voice he'd heard outside his door belonged to a young woman, not a damn gorilla!  
  
"Can't...breathe...!" he gasped out.  
  
"Lisette!" Gabriel called out. "That brute strength of yours is going to choke the life out of him! Let him go!"  
  
"I can't help it!" Lisette told him. "I just can't believe he's finally back here! I always believed you'd come back to us, Escher!"  
  
"How do you...? W-What…?!" Escher attempted to ask something that would help him find out what the hell was going on, and demand to know who was attacking him with what air he had left in his lungs. Luckily, he was able to take another breath as the unfamiliar woman let go of him and took a step back.  
  
"I need to actually get a good look at you!" Lisette told him. "It's been a long time, after all!"  
  
With that, she let go of him, and once he caught his breath, he looked at the woman who had nearly squeezed the life out of him.  
  
She was around Gabriel's age, though possibly a little older, with honey blonde hair and green eyes. She certainly didn't look physically capable of the death grip he'd just experienced...though there were definitely physical aspects of her that Escher found surprising. He recognized the black and white of the household's maid uniform, and he could certainly see why his father apparently let her get away with a lot. Even at his age, Escher was aware of the physical traits that men tended to find favorable in women, and Lisette was...gifted in just about all of them.  
  
"You're still such a cutie!" she exclaimed. "You've gotten to be so big, though! I can hardly believe it!"  
  
"Lisette! You mustn't speak to the young lord in such an infantilizing way!" Gabriel corrected. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Yesterday, I mentioned that you have a second attendant...well, Escher, here she is. This is Lisette, and as you may have guessed, she was acquainted with you before you were taken."  
  
"Before...I was taken?" Escher asked. "But...I mean, you don't look old enough to have worked here back then!"  
  
"I'm not!" Lisette told him. "But my mother used to work as a maid here. I used to come here with her all the time! And Camille was like a big sister to me!"  
  
Escher blinked. "You mean...my mom?"  
  
Lisette's expression softened. "Yeah...she was always so nice to me, even though all I did was bother her. But if you have any questions about your mom, or what you were like..." She reached out and squished his cheeks. "When you were just a cute widdle baby..." She let him go again. "...Then I'm your go-to gal! And now I have to hug you again because I'm just so happy to see you!"  
  
Before Escher could protest, she hugged him again, though he didn't feel like she was crushing him this time. Even so, there was something else about the situation that he found a tad on the uncomfortable side. The placement of his head was entirely too close to her chest.  
  
"H-Hey!" he cried out. "Get those... _things_ out of my face! That kind of physical treatment may work on my dad, but-"  
  
He stopped abruptly as Lisette pulled away from him. She was smiling, but...something about it was oddly menacing, and it made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. He also could have sworn he heard Gabriel gasp just seconds before, and for some reason, that only added to his sense of dread.  
  
"'That kind of...‘physical treatment’?" she repeated.  
  
Escher didn't quite know what to say next, but when Lisette started slapping him across the face - lightly and almost playfully at first, but with increasing intensity - he got the feeling it wouldn't matter anyway.  
  
"Oh, young Lord Escher!" she said, her voice sounding cheerful, but artificially so, unlike before. "Just _where_ do you think you're looking?! Such a rude little boy! I was hoping you wouldn't inherit your father's perverted ways once you got bigger, but it seems like you did, somehow! Unless you're just fond of inappropriate jokes?! That's hardly the way for a baron to conduct himself, you know! Ahahaha!" Her laugh was bubbly and happy, but just like her smile and her tone of voice, something about it made Escher want to run for his life.  
  
"Lisette!" Gabriel cried out pleadingly. "You'll knock him out! Please, get ahold of yourself! I'm sure he didn't mean it like that! It's just...very early in the morning and he's not entirely awake! I-Isn't that right, Escher?!"  
  
"R-Right! Ow!" That had been somewhat of a careless response, thinking back. "I'm sorry, I take it back!"  
  
Lisette immediately stopped. "Sorry about that! It's just my natural reaction to perceived perversion!"  
  
Escher rubbed at one of his cheeks. "Hell of a reaction..."  
  
She stood up, and put her hands on her hips. "For your information, however...while Lord Jakob has definitely made advances, I have _always_ refused them! He once attempted to grope me, and, well...I kind of knocked him out."  
  
"What the shit?!" Escher asked. "How'd you get away with that?! He seems like the kind of guy who would fire someone on the spot for even the tiniest mistake!"  
  
"Usually, that's true. But he's a persistent one. He's constantly sexually harassing me, and I'm constantly shooting him down. He's somehow convinced that one day he's going to win me over. He gets off on the chase."  
  
Escher wrinkled his nose. "Ugh. Gross..."  
  
"That's what I'm always telling him!" Lisette replied. "He thinks I'm joking. But I'm not. Also, he'd be stupid to fire me! I am _way_ too good at my job." She smiled proudly. "I'm super fast and efficient. I can do what it would take several maids to do, and in a fraction of the time."  
  
"Huh," Escher said, finding himself a little impressed. "Yeah, firing you would be pretty moronic, then."  
  
"I've tried to get her to teach me how she does it," Gabriel said. "But I can never seem to keep up!" He sighed. "Anyway, Lisette, now that you've seen him, we should really let him go back to sleep. It's a bit early to be waking him, and his breakfast isn't ready yet."  
  
"Right," she said. "A growing boy needs his sustenance! And his sleep." She smiled at him. "Sorry about all this. I was just so excited to see you after all this time! You've grown up a whole lot..."  
  
"I should hope so," Escher said. "Since I was a baby the last time you saw me."  
  
"I know," Lisette told him. "But really...it's good to see you again."  
  
"Uh...thanks," Escher told her. "I wish I could say the same, but...I don't remember you." He rubbed his eyes. "Does 'nice to meet you' work?"  
  
She laughed. "That works just fine! Let's talk more later, okay? But for now, get some sleep."  
  
Escher yawned. "Don't need to tell me twice..."  
  
He let himself fall back into his bed, and he closed his eyes. He heard Gabriel and Lisette leave the room, and he began to drift off again almost effortlessly.  
  
Yes, Gabriel was right when he'd said Lisette was "quite something," but she seemed to be a nice person, even if she was a little on the strange side. She also seemed to dislike his father just about as much as he did, so he had a feeling he and his other attendant would get along just fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha...I love writing Lisette already. And she only gets better the more I write her! Gabriel too. Poor Escher isn't getting any parental affection, so he needs some allies, at the very least.


	6. The Baron's Agenda

“Good morning, Escher! Rise and shine!”   
  
Escher recognized Lisette’s voice, despite his state of being only partially awake. Even so, he didn’t do what she said, instead choosing to groan and bury his face in his pillow.   
  
“I wouldn’t test her if I were you,” Gabriel said somewhat nervously.   
  
“Don’t tell me my old man tried making a pass at her this early in the day...”   
  
“You know he did!” Lisette replied. “So I am most certainly _not_ in the mood to deal with a little boy who won’t get out of bed!”   
  
“Five more minutes?” he asked.   
  
“Only if you want a cold breakfast!” Lisette told him.   
  
“I can live with that.”   
  
“...Or if you want me to drag you out of bed, carry you all the way to the dining room like a baby, put a bib on you, and feed you myself!”   
  
Escher rolled over. “...That’s maybe the weirdest goddamn threat I’ve heard in my entire life.”   
  
“I wouldn’t put it past her, Escher,” Gabriel said. “She’d likely take pictures!”   
  
He thought it over, and decided that the risk of embarrassment was too great. “Fine, I’ll get up...” She sat up, stretched his arms, and then slowly got out of bed.   
  
“That’s much better!” Lisette told him. “Now, get dressed! I know you like to do that yourself.”   
  
“Yeah, because I’m not an idiot,” Escher replied.   
  
“Then make sure you don’t forget to brush your hair this time,” Lisette said. “Your bedhead is even worse today than it was yesterday!”   
  
“You could have just told him to brush his hair without the insult...” Gabriel said with a heavy sigh. “Anyway, the two of us will be waiting outside. Believe it or not, you’ve several things on your agenda for today!”   
  
“Why do I have to have an agenda?” Escher asked.   
  
“Because your father said so,” Gabriel replied. “Don’t worry, it’s nothing terrible! But we can go over it on the way to breakfast!”   
  
The two of them left the room, and Escher sighed. They really did have a lot of energy for it being so early in the morning...then again, they’d been up since the crack of dawn, so maybe that was part of it.   
  
He looked over at the clothing that had been laid out for him, once again feeling grateful that Gabriel had very quickly gotten the hang of how he liked to dress and combined it with something appropriate for a member of the nobility.   
  
As he got dressed, he couldn’t help but wonder what was on the agenda he now apparently had. It had been about a week since he first arrived at the manor, and he’d settled into a sort of routine...if it could even be called a routine. For the most part, he’d been spending his days wandering the manor and trying to memorize where all the rooms were so he didn’t get lost, sitting around feeling bored, talking to his personal attendants, or any number of things that he could find to do. When he was especially bored, he would attempt to make sure the skills he’d learned from the thieves weren’t getting rusty, but it felt kind of strange attempting to pocket some valuable-looking trinket in what was technically his own home.   
  
So, while he didn't much like the idea of complying with his father on anything, he hated being bored. Having a schedule would at least give him something to do.   
  
He left his room after he was dressed, and after brushing his hair as he'd been told. Gabriel and Lisette were waiting patiently outside.   
  
"Okay, you look slightly more awake now!" Lisette told him. "Which is good, because I've already got your schedule memorized!"   
  
"All right," Escher said. "Then don't keep me in suspense." They started to walk toward the dining room.   
  
"So after breakfast," Lisette began. "You're going to have a physical. Apparently, your father wanted to get you in for one sooner, but the doctor has been out of town."   
  
"Uh...okay," Escher said. "What do you mean by 'a physical,' though?"   
  
"A physical exam," Gabriel told him. "Lisette, I don't imagine the thieves ever took him to a doctor!"   
  
"No, they didn't," Escher said. "When I got sick, I would sleep it off or sweat it out, or whatever I needed to do, until I got better."   
  
Lisette gasped. "Oh, you poor thing! In that case, it's a really good thing you're getting checked out, then! It's important to see a doctor every so often to make sure you're healthy!"   
  
"Wait...so it's important to see a doctor. when you're not sick?" Escher asked. "That sounds stupid."   
  
"It's not," Lisette told him. "And even if you think it sounds stupid, you still have to get your physical, whether you like it or not!"   
  
"Fine, whatever," Escher muttered. "But why the hell does my dad care if I'm healthy or not?"   
  
"If I had to guess," Gabriel said. "I'd say it has to do with the fact that your half siblings were killed, and he spent several years trying to find you, the only living heir to his title. If you were to become ill and die, that would be...problematic for him."   
  
Escher shrugged. "Fair enough."   
  
"Anyway," Lisette continued on. "Depending how long your physical takes, you'll either go straight from there to lunch, or you'll have some free time before. Then, after that, you have an academic evaluation of sorts."   
  
"Academic?" Escher asked. "Why the hell would I need something like that?!"   
  
Lisette looked at him in annoyance. "Really, Escher? You just expressed a few minutes ago that you're not an idiot. So why would you ask that? It doesn't matter how smart you are if you can't read or write!"   
  
"I can do both of those things!" Escher protested. "Do you think I'm a gigantic dumbass, or what?!"   
  
"I  _ don't  _ think that," Lisette told him. "And I figured you could. But there's a lot you missed out on, since I'm guessing you never went to school."   
  
"Being intelligent is a gift, Escher," Gabriel told him. "However, being educated is more like...well, a skill, perhaps? It takes time and effort, but it's well worth it, in the end."   
  
Escher sighed. All of this sounded like a huge waste of time...and he was probably going to be forced to comply with it, in some way or another. By then, though, they had arrived in the dining hall, where a place had been prepared for Escher, and his food was ready.   
  
Gabriel quickly moved to pull out Escher's chair for him, despite Escher's insistence for the past several days that he could do it himself. The young butler had a certain stubbornness, though...   
  
Escher sat down, more than ready to eat, but he noticed that his attendants were still standing by him. He looked at them and sighed in exasperation. "Guys, we've had this discussion every single time I've sat down to eat. It feels really weird to have you hovering while I just stuff my face. Whatever this rule is about maids or butlers not being allowed to sit at the table...well, it's bullshit."   
  
Gabriel still looked hesitant. "But, Escher...if Lord Jakob were to come in and see us like that, then-"   
  
"If my old man decides to get pissy about it," Escher interrupted. "Then I will tell him  _ exactly  _ what I think of him as a person. And it's nothing complimentary. Please guys...sit down."   
  
The two attendants looked at each other for a moment, and Lisette moved first to sit.   
  
"Wait, please!" Gabriel told her. "Let me pull out your seat for you."   
  
"I can do it myself!" she told him.   
  
"I, um...just think of it as part of my training!" he assured her.   
  
Escher couldn't help but smile as he watched the two of them, and he took a sip of his orange juice. Over the past several days, he'd noticed that Gabriel was always very quick to respond in a gentlemanly way in such situations when Lisette was involved. It was always entertaining to watch them interact...it was so obvious that Gabriel was smitten with her, yet she didn't seem like she realized how he felt about her.   
  
Gabriel took his own seat after Lisette was in hers, and she must have noticed Escher's amused expression.   
  
"And what are you smirking about?" she asked.   
  
"Oh, nothing," he replied. "Just thinking how young love is just so wonderful, that's all."   
  
Gabriel seemed nervous when he said that, but Lisette deadpanned. "Okay, now I  _ know _ you're lying. There's no way that's what's on your mind."   
  
"I'm being completely honest," Escher told her. "So about my schedule for the day..."   
  
"R-Right!" Gabriel said, all but leaping out of his seat. He was clearly interested in changing the subject away from his obvious crush. "Although...that's pretty much the end of it, actually. Other than dinner after your assessment and more free time."   
  
"Huh," Escher said, starting to eat at long last. If there was anything about living at the manor that he definitely enjoyed, it was the food.   
  
However, the taste in his mouth quickly turned sour upon the arrival of an unexpected guest. His father's appearance in the doorway was nearly enough to turn his stomach.   
  
"Gabriel! Lisette!" Lord Jakob snapped. "What are you doing seated at the table?" The two of them quickly got to their feet, with Gabriel quietly apologizing to his technical master.   
  
That just made Escher angry. "They're sitting because I told them to sit. I don't like that they have to stand there and watch me eat. They're nice to me...unlike some people."   
  
Lord Jakob scowled. "It's not appropriate for servants to sit at a noble's table, Escher."   
  
"Is that so?" Escher asked. "Then what's the stance on nobles sticking it into their servants? I'd guess that's pretty frowned upon, right?"   
  
His father didn't respond, instead allowing his glare to intensify. Escher pretended not to notice, returning to his breakfast. Of course, when he thought of another funny but not-so-flattering line, he couldn't keep it to himself.   
  
"The food tastes good...but it kind of stinks in here." He looked up. "Something smells like ass...of the pompous variety. Can we maybe open a window?"   
  
At that point, Lisette had to work very hard to stifle a laugh. Gabriel was a little better at hiding his amusement, Escher had learned, but he was glad to get a laugh out of one of his attendants.   
  
His father was less than amused, however, but he obviously couldn't come up with something to counter his son.   
  
"Hmph," Lord Jakob said after a moment. "I can see there's no need for me to bother with  _ you  _ until after you've begun your etiquette lessons. Gabriel, Lisette...I trust you've gone over his schedule for the day?"   
  
"Yes, milord," Lisette replied. "He's been informed of everything."   
  
"Very well. Then I'll be going. I've lots to do today."   
  
With that, Escher watched his father leave, a satisfied smirk on his face. Gabriel sighed, allowing himself to relax a bit.   
  
"Escher, please!" he said. "You  _ need  _ to be a bit more merciful on me! If I laugh at one of your comments toward your father, he'll make a note of it and report it to the head butler! I'll be that much farther away from becoming a true butler!"   
  
"What?" Escher asked. "Having a good poker face when someone cracks a joke at the expense of your liege is probably a good butler skill, right?"   
  
"I, w-well..." Gabriel contemplated the idea for a moment. "I'm...not sure that sort of thing comes up a lot..."   
  
"I think it's funny watching him squirm," Lisette said. "He obviously wants to make a smartass comment right back, but he clearly has no idea how to go about it!"   
  
"Then you're going to love the little surprise I left him the other day," Escher told her.   
  
"Ooh, what did you do?"   
  
Escher couldn't keep himself from grinning. "You know that big decorative vase my old man's got in his study?" Both Gabriel and Lisette nodded. "Yeah...a couple of days ago, I took a leak in it just to be funny."   
  
Immediately, Lisette began laughing, but Gabriel looked shocked.   
  
"You...did  _ what, _ now, Escher?"   
  
"Pissed in my dad's vase. Pretty diabolical, right? Especially if you give it some time. He's either going to drive himself crazy trying to figure out why his office reeks like piss, or he's not going to notice, eventually getting used to the smell, and anyone that sets foot in there is going to wonder why Lord Jakob's office stinks like some alley downtown."   
  
"Oh my god!" Lisette cried. "I hope he  _ does  _ notice! He's going to be  _ so  _ mad!"   
  
"Escher! That is hardly an appropriate prank! And Lisette, don't you encourage him! It's..." He suddenly bit his lip and turned his head away, as if attempting to hide a change in his facial expression. "I-It's not funny!"   
  
Escher smirked. "Gabriel, did I just hear you try not to laugh?"   
  
"I...I would never!" At that moment, he most definitely stifled a laugh, and both Escher and Lisette smiled at him knowingly. "...Fine, I admit it, it's actually quite funny! But...try not to make a habit of relieving yourself inside the manor, all right?"   
  
"Okay, you have my word," Escher told him. "As of now, I'm housebroken. From now on, I'll only pee outside."   
  
Once more, Lisette started laughing, and Gabriel tried his best to make it look like he wasn’t amused.   
  
"You  _ know  _ that's not what I meant, Escher..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know what they say: if you really hate someone, pee in or on their personal belongings. The more valuable, the better! At least, I think that's what they say. They SHOULD say that...
> 
> I do enjoy writing Escher's interactions with his attendants, because it shows that even if he is a bit of a jackass, he's still a good kid underneath it all. I routinely have to remind myself of that very thing with my (newly) sixteen-year-old brother, who has definitely been an inspiration when writing this! Nothing helps with writing a smartass teenage boy like having an actual smartass teenage boy around!


	7. Painful Memories

Escher sighed, putting his head down on his desk. Gabriel had left several minutes before to make some tea for him in order to help him focus, but no amount of tea in the world would make this easier.  
  
"Lord Escher! I've brought your tea!"   
  
Escher didn't even lift his head from his desk before responding to the energetic young butler. "Yeah, come in..."   
  
Gabriel entered the room, and Escher could practically hear him focus on carrying the tea tray without sloshing or spilling anything. He really did try so hard...   
  
"Goodness, don't tell me you were napping in the time I was gone!" Gabriel set the tea tray down on his desk.   
  
"Nah. Just frustrated." Escher sat up and stretched his arms. "There's still one thing I don't really get..."   
  
Gabriel looked at him with determination. "What might that be? I'd be more than happy to try and help!"   
  
"Okay, then..." Escher turned to look at his attendant. "Why exactly should I give a crap about math, again?"   
  
Gabriel sighed heavily. "Escher...please don't tell me you've made no progress whatsoever on your math assignment!" Escher groaned in response. "...You're not even trying, are you?"   
  
"I can't help it," he muttered. "I don't get why I need to know how to do this kind of math. It takes up so much time and I've never had to use it before!"   
  
"If you practice, it won't take quite as long," Gabriel assured him. "You'll get better at it eventually! Everyone has subjects in school, or in their studies, that they don't like, Escher."   
  
"Really?" Escher asked. "Then what didn't you like?"   
  
"Well..." He thought it over. "Looking back, I sort of miss my school days, but if I had to choose..." He smiled sheepishly. "...I never did very well in fine arts classes. I couldn't even manage to paint the simplest things, and my sculptures always turned out disastrous. I also didn't much care for physical education, as it always seemed like the other boys were stronger than I was." He paused. "Speaking of which, have you thought of any ideas for your doctor-recommended light exercise?"   
  
Escher scowled. His physical exam from several days before had provided him with some annoying information. The doctor found "irregularities" with his heart and lungs, whatever that meant. Some test results still needed to come back, but the doctor had said that it was likely due to improper health care during early childhood. There might have been some merit to the claim, since the last time he'd seen a doctor before his most recent physical was when he was a baby. He always did seem to be prone to chest colds and other respiratory problems, and whenever someone started smoking in the thieves' hideout, he was generally the first to start coughing.   
  
Even so, he didn't need to be babied because of it. The suggestion of "light exercise" was practically an insult to him when he'd heard it.   
  
"I have," Escher said. "I want to try throwing darts. Or maybe knives."   
  
Gabriel's eyes widened. "I...suppose that would count. But I can't help but wonder why you'd choose such a dangerous activity..."   
  
"Because that way I can relieve stress!" Escher replied with a grin. "I just need a giant picture of my old man's face instead of a dart board!"   
  
Once again, Gabriel sighed. "I should have expected you'd say something like that...I know your father isn't the easiest person to get along with, nor has he been especially kind to you...but nothing good will come out of deliberately antagonizing him."   
  
"Nothing good will come out of sucking up to him either," Escher said. "He barely even bothered to pretend he was happy to see me after more than thirteen years. He didn't want me to exist. He only needs me because the kids he was supposed to have got murdered as a result of his need to chase skirts and tap ass." He scowled. "I still wonder what my mom saw in him. Lisette says she was smart."   
  
"She _was_ smart."   
  
The two of them nearly jumped out of their skin at the sound of Lisette's voice. She had appeared in Escher’s room without announcing her presence, and they somehow hadn’t noticed that she was there.   
  
"But she was also young, and Lord Jakob can be very charming, when you don't know what a scumbag he truly is!" Lisette continued, as if she hadn't just startled them at all. "She caught on quickly enough, of course...though by then, she was kind of, you know..."   
  
"Knocked up," Escher finished. "Since when can you appear in a room out of nowhere, anyway? I could've used that skill back in the day."   
  
"I didn't appear out of nowhere!" she protested. "You two were just distracted. More importantly, Escher, have you finished your math yet?"   
  
Escher groaned, putting his head on his desk again. "I want to go back in time to find the guy who invented math so I can stab the shit out of him..."   
  
"I-I can't believe I let myself get distracted like that!" Gabriel said, sounding distraught. "And I allowed Lord Escher to become distracted as well! Oh, and I still haven't served the tea!!" He hurriedly worked to correct the last issue he'd brought up.   
  
"Anyway, Escher," Lisette said. "Lord Jakob asked me to bring you to him once you were finished with your assignment. Also, I remembered that I had something to give to you, but I'll only hand it over after you've done your homework!"   
  
"Something to give me?" Escher asked. "What is it?"   
  
Lisette smiled. "You'll just have to see for yourself once you've finished up your math!"   
  
Escher ran his hands through his hair in further frustration. "Ugh...stupid, goddamn, idiotic bullshit! Math can seriously suck on my left-!"   
  
"Just shut up and do your homework, Escher," Lisette interrupted. "The longer you sit there avoiding it, the angrier you're going to get."   
  
Escher scowled. As much as he hated to admit it, she was right. The longer he sat there avoiding it, the more pissed off he got. He didn't care about whatever it was his dad wanted, but he was curious about what Lisette wanted to give him.   
  
So even though he couldn't stand the idea of it, Escher picked up his pencil once more, but not to write obscenities or doodle inappropriate pictures. He was going to do his stupid homework like a good kid.   
  
He'd already managed to do about half of it with his tutor, and the other half wasn't especially hard. It was the tediousness that drove him crazy. Every single problem seemed to be more or less like the one before it.   
  
But with focus, and the occasional sip of Gabriel's tea, which may or may not have aided his focus, he managed to finish it. He sighed, setting down his pencil and turning around to look at his attendants, who were beaming.   
  
"I can't believe you actually did it!" Gabriel exclaimed. "Well done, Escher! Really and truly!"   
  
That sort of praise made Escher feel a little embarrassed. "Hey, don't make such a big deal out of it! It was just some stupid homework."   
  
"But you were having trouble getting it done," Lisette told him. "And even though you really, really didn't want to do it, you managed to finish it all! It just shows you can achieve anything you put your mind to!"   
  
"I already knew that..." Escher muttered, standing up from his chair. "So what is it that you were going to give me?"   
  
Lisette's eyes widened. "You wanted to see what it was that much? Well...it's just a little something, but I kept it for a really long time..."   
  
She reached into one of the pockets of her maid uniform and pulled out what appeared to be a very small picture frame and handed it to Escher.   
  
His mouth opened in slight surprise as he looked at the picture within the frame. There were two people in the shot...one of them was a smiling baby with silver hair and wide, gray-blue eyes. His fat little fists clung to the other subject of the portrait, who held him gently and lovingly.   
  
The other person in the picture was a beautiful young woman with the same silver hair and bright smile as the baby. Her eyes - a vivid blue, from what Escher could tell - looked down at the child adoringly, as if he was the most important thing in the entire world to her.   
  
"This is..." Escher murmured, though he trailed off before he could finish.   
  
"I found this in Camille's room," Lisette said. "They were going through her personal effects after she..." That time, Lisette trailed off, pausing for a moment before clearing her throat. "Um, I kind of took it without asking. I didn't want to forget what either of you looked like. That, and I told myself I would hold onto it until you came back someday. So, it's yours now!"   
  
"So this is what she looked like..." Escher said softly. He took another look at the picture before setting it down on his desk and meeting Lisette's eyes again. "Thanks, Lisette."   
  
"You're welcome, Escher," she said. Without warning, she reached out and gave him a hug. Escher tried to struggle and get away, but she only tightened her hold on him.   
  
"Who said you could hug me?" he asked in an irritated tone.   
  
"The look on your face," she replied.   
  
"Well, my mouth is saying to let go already," he said. "Seriously, get those knockers away from me."   
  
She pulled back, giving him that chilling smile that he'd seen when they'd first met, or rather, the first time he remembered meeting her. "I'm sorry, get my _what_ away from you?"   
  
He groaned. "Whatever. It's nothing. But let go already!"   
  
"Fine, fine..." She did as he told her to, and Escher took a moment to compose himself again.   
  
Gabriel, who had been quiet for a while, finally spoke up. "As I've told you, Lisette, you really ought to refrain from such displays."   
  
Lisette smiled. "Don't get so jealous! You can have a turn next!" In an instant, the young butler's face turned as red as a tomato, and his eyes widened.   
  
"E-Excuse me?!"   
  
"Oh, relax!" Lisette told him. "It was just a joke!"   
  
Escher couldn't help but feel sorry for Gabriel...out of all of the maids in the entire manor, he just had to fall for the one who was so accustomed to lewd remarks and ogling that she couldn't even recognize when a pure-hearted guy was honestly interested in her. Although, when he thought of it in that way, he couldn't help but wonder if Lisette was the one he should be feeling sorry for.   
  
"Anyway," Lisette continued. "Now that Escher's homework is all finished up, we should go see what Lord Jakob wants."   
  
Escher groaned. "Fine...but I'm not going to be nice."   
  
"Believe me, Escher," Gabriel said. "At this point, neither of us expect you to be especially polite with your father."   
  
As much as Escher disliked his father and therefore didn't mind that he only saw him once or twice every few days, he couldn't help but wonder what exactly his old man did with his time. That was just as much of a mystery as whatever "important" matter he wanted to talk to Escher about.   
  
Upon arriving in Lord Jakob's study, Escher was glad that he wouldn't be kept in suspense.   
  
"I'm quite busy at the moment," he said. "Thus, I don't have much time to spend talking with you, and I'd like to go over this with you as quickly as possible."   
  
"Amen to that," Escher muttered.   
  
Lord Jakob looked annoyed by that comment, but he chose not to address it, likely because of his previously mentioned time constraints.   
  
"A week from now, I will be hosting a very important gathering," he continued. "Nobles from all over the country will be dining at our home, and Escher...I trust that you will be on your _very_ best behavior."   
  
Escher grinned. "You're gonna _trust_ a kid that was raised by criminals? Man, it's like you _want_ me to ruin your stupid dinner party!"   
  
He was expecting his father to get angry or show signs of frustration, to call him a disrespectful brat and so on, but he didn't. Instead, his eyes just narrowed, but other than that, his expression didn't change.   
  
He stood up from his desk, and started to slowly walk over to where Escher was sitting.   
  
"Escher...I'm warning you," he said in a quiet, yet strangely menacing tone. "If you do not act like the nobleman that you are, I will personally see to it that whatever physical punishment you suffered at the hands of your kidnappers seems about as threatening as a slap on the wrist."   
  
Escher gasped, his eyes widening. There was no way his father could be referring to what he thought he was referring to!   
  
"H-How did you...?"   
  
Lord Jakob smiled. "It's important for a parent to know what goes on in their child's physical exam, you know! Did you really not think the doctor would report everything to me that those X-rays revealed? All of those poorly-healed fractures, especially on your ribs and other areas that aren't usually seen?"   
  
Escher clenched his fists, trying not to remember the beatings that had caused his bones to break. He didn't want to remember them, or how angry each of the thieves had looked when it was their turn to punish him. The pain from having his body bruised and his bones broken didn't compare to the pain of how lonely he felt once the thieves stopped treating him like they did before, showing him only coldness...   
  
"You try to act tough," his father taunted. "But in truth, you were nothing more than a punching bag! How very embarrassing it would be for you if such sensitive information were to be leaked..."   
  
Escher couldn't form the words needed to respond. He couldn't seem to do anything other than stare at the man who was so cruelly mocking his pain and attempting to use it as material for blackmail. It was despicable.   
  
His father leaned over him and grabbed his face, forcing him to look into the eyes that resembled his so much that it made him a little sick.   
  
"You...will... _behave,_ " Lord Jakob hissed threateningly.   
  
Somehow, Escher was able to get back his nerve then, and he got free of his father's grasp. He headed to the door of the study and flung it open, not wanting to stay there even a second longer. Before he left, though, he couldn't forget to properly convey his sentiments to his father, and he did so with his usual, arrogant grin.   
  
"Rot in hell, you twisted son of a bitch."   
  
He slammed the door behind him after that, and he hoped that in doing so, he could slam the door that kept those dark memories from his past sealed away as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't originally intend for that chapter to get as dark as it did, but it just sort of...happened, I guess. I also chose not to add any warnings or "trigger" tags because Escher being abused by his kidnappers is mentioned in the game, and therefore, I didn't feel that there was any need for a warning.
> 
> I think it goes without saying that Escher maybe isn't going to enjoy himself at his father's fancy dinner party, though...


	8. Avoiding a Tour

It had taken quite some time for Gabriel and Lisette to get Escher all dressed and ready for his father's big and important dinner party, but at long last, he was finished...or rather, he assumed he was. He'd been told to stand up from his chair so his attendants could inspect him, but so far, they were just staring.  
  
Lisette was the first of them to speak up, a smile spreading across her face.   
  
"Wow, Escher!" she exclaimed. "You look positively dashing!"   
  
Escher fidgeted with his tie. "Uh, thanks...but I think Gabriel's fashion sense is what's making me look good."   
  
"Nonsense!" Gabriel protested. "I merely put together an ensemble based on the features that make you the handsome fellow you are!"   
  
"Like those dreamy eyes..." Lisette said. "I bet they make girls weak at the knees! Until you open your mouth, that is."   
  
Escher laughed. "Hey now, I like to think my charm and my sense of humor is a part of what makes me so attractive in the first place!" Both of his attendants laughed. "So, I guess we should be going down to that foyer area to greet people or whatever, shouldn't we?"   
  
"Yes!" Gabriel replied. "Guests should already be arriving, so we should be on our way!"   
  
They started off toward the main hall, and although Escher found all of this fuss over a stupid dinner party to be a little excessive, he was sort of interested to see how nobles interacted with each other at events like the one his father was hosting. If anything, it would likely help him come up with more effective ways to mess with them.   
  
He noticed along the way that there seemed to be a lot more maids and butlers at the manor than there usually were. Maybe because it was an event that was essentially meant for his father to show off, he wanted the place to look fully staffed, or at least just have as many people present as possible in case something went wrong.   
  
"Damn...all hands on deck tonight, huh?" he commented.   
  
"Yes," Gabriel said. "And everyone will be needed at some point or another! Even if it's just for the purpose of standing around and looking ready to serve..."   
  
"And the actual serving part," Lisette added. "Ugh...I hope nobody tries to grab my ass or anything..."   
  
"Lisette!" Gabriel said scoldingly. "You'd best lock away that sort of language before we're in front of guests!"   
  
"Well, excuse me!" she protested. "It's not like _you're_ in danger of getting groped by anyone! You'd be in a sour mood at the idea too!"   
  
Escher grinned as an idea popped into his head. "You could show him, Lisette." Gabriel's jaw dropped, and Lisette tilted her head to the side in confusion.   
  
"Huh?" she asked.   
  
"Try grabbing his ass," Escher told her with a shrug. "That way, he can fully understand your struggle."   
  
Gabriel's face turned bright red, but Lisette just laughed. "Escher, what's gotten into you? Saying things like that..."   
  
Gabriel finally got over the shock and embarrassment enough to clear his throat and hurriedly speak up. "Yes, well, I should probably get to my post, now that we've escorted you to the foyer!"   
  
"Your post?" Escher asked. "So...you're not going to be here?"   
  
"Ah, that's right," Lisette told him. "And I'd better get to the kitchen too. But don't worry! You'll see me in between courses when we have to clear plates and such!"   
  
"Right," Gabriel said. "And I'll see if I can occasionally check in on you as well! I'll be stationed outside the nearest restroom and offering hand towels to the guests, so I won't be too far away!"   
  
Escher frowned. "Come on, you two...it's not like I need you to babysit me or anything..." He said that, of course, but he was more than a little relieved to know they'd be nearby. The idea of being at a fancy dinner party with a bunch of nobles and without the only two people he felt comfortable talking to made him feel uneasy.   
  
Not too far away, he could see his father speaking to some people that most certainly had to be nobles, and he scowled. Perhaps feeling the hateful eyes on him, Lord Jakob turned around and, after saying a few words to the people he'd been talking to, he walked hurriedly over to Escher and grabbed him by the arm.   
  
"There you are," he said, starting to drag him off toward the crowd of people. "Now come and greet our guests!"   
  
Escher quickly tried to pull away, but his father's grip was firm. "Who gave you permission to touch me?"   
  
"I don't need permission. I'm your father."   
  
Such declarations always made Escher feel a bit sick to his stomach, and at a bit of a loss for a way to insult him right back. By then, they'd also made it back toward the group of nobles his father had been speaking to.   
  
His father quickly changed his entire demeanor to one befitting a charming host, complete with the fake smile Escher had been subjected to the first time he met the viscount.   
  
"So as I was telling you," Lord Jakob said proudly. "I've found fulfillment after such profound loss by reconnecting with my long-lost son."   
  
"Ah, yes," a woman who was very tall and thin said, turning her gaze toward Escher. "So... _this_ is the young baron, then?"   
  
The smile on her face was just as fake as his father's, and Escher could tell exactly what it was hiding: complete and utter disdain. Whether it was due to his lineage or his upbringing, he didn't know, but there was no question that this woman was absolutely repulsed to be near him.   
  
"Indeed," his father replied. "Escher, introduce yourself properly, now."   
  
Escher looked out at the other faces in the group, and none of the expressions were any better. There were some fake smiles that attempted to hide the disgust of the wearers, and there were some real smiles that seemed cruel but amused, like the sort of look on the face of a horrible person about to throw a rock at a caged animal. Some faces didn't even attempt to hide their revulsion...at least they were honest.   
  
Still, the last time Escher had been looked at with so much hatred from so many eyes was after the thieves discovered that he was the one who had impulsively thrown away their ticket to the good life, and before they started their almost daily beatings. Even though these fancy nobles weren't going to beat him, the feeling was still the same, and it made him uncomfortable.   
  
He managed to speak up in the end. "Hello...I'm Escher. It's very nice to meet you." Normally, he wouldn't have even bothered to feign respect for people who so obviously hated him...but the suddenness of it all had thrown him off guard.   
  
"My goodness!" a very short and fat man said. The look on his face was one of cruel amusement. "The boy has manners, it seems!"   
  
"Yes, well..." Lord Jakob said. "Etiquette is one of the things he's had to learn since his return. Due to having been kidnapped at a young age, he didn't receive instruction in much of anything."   
  
"I can imagine it's been quite a process," a man who had a voice that sounded like he was talking in his sleep said, looking at Escher curiously with a face so pale it seemed like he was a walking corpse. "A child raised not only by any commoners, but by thieves...it must be a lot to put up with, Lord Jakob."   
  
"Oh, it's been quite a lot of work," Lord Jakob told him. "But it's quite rewarding. Besides, he's my son! I'm only doing what any father would do."   
  
The group murmured something in agreement, and Escher scowled. His father was just using him as an excuse to brag, and not only that, his boasts were all lies. It was pathetic, but it still made him angry.   
  
"Anyway," Lord Jakob continued. "We should begin the brief tour of the manor I've planned. By the time we're finished, it should be time for dinner!"   
  
Ugh...a tour of the entire manor? This really _was_ just an excuse for his father to show off to a bunch of other stupid nobles. Hopefully he could sneak away so he didn't have to listen to the old man spout a bunch of bullshit the whole time.   
  
Then again, if Gabriel was supposed to be outside the nearest bathroom, then maybe he could manage to get away before the whole thing even started.   
  
His father began leading the guests away, and Escher pretended to follow the herd at first. However, once they'd gotten to the hallway that led to the bathroom where Gabriel was stationed and Lord Jakob began bragging about all of the pieces of art adorning that particular hall, Escher took advantage of everyone being distracted. He quickly and quietly slipped away with a nonchalant air that would make his deceased unofficial guardians proud.   
  
Sure enough, Gabriel was where he said he would be, holding a small basket of hand towels and looking ready to serve when he heard approaching footsteps. Upon seeing Escher, though, he looked surprised.   
  
"Lord Escher?" he asked in confusion. "Don't tell me you're already in need of the facilities!"   
  
"No, not right now," Escher said. "But this whole thing is already making me want to throw up..."   
  
Gabriel laughed. "Ah, yes...it really is a rather shallow event, I'm afraid. I can't see why it would be especially unpleasant for someone as honest as you are."   
  
"Honest?" Escher repeated, scowling a bit. "Not many people have called me that. Have you been in there huffing drain cleaner or something?"   
  
"Ah, well...'honest' wasn't really the right word. I suppose it's more that...you're true to yourself! Oftentimes, that does lead to you challenging authority and breaking rules, though many people do go through such phases during their youth. But for someone who doesn't make an attempt to hide who he truly is, an event based solely on superficial things and keeping up appearances would be quite nauseating, to be sure."   
  
"Yeah..." Escher sighed. "But...I guess that's not the only thing that's bugging me about it. And...well, I'm not even sure _why_ the other thing is bothering me so much..."   
  
He must have let his expression show how troubled he was, and Gabriel must have noticed. He set the basket of hand towels off to the side and offered Escher a warm smile.   
  
"You know, Escher," he said. "At times, a butler can serve as a trusted confidant for his master. Perhaps you'd feel better if you talked about what's troubling you."   
  
"Just as a butler?" Escher asked, feeling a little disappointed.   
  
"If that's what you prefer," Gabriel told him. "Otherwise, you're welcome to think of it as...venting to a friend, I suppose...if I haven't overstepped by suggesting such a thing!"   
  
Escher couldn't help but laugh. "Seriously? All that formality around me?" Remembering what had caused him to seek out Gabriel in the first place, though, he found himself frowning again.   
  
He leaned against the wall, thinking of how to best word what exactly was bothering him. It was especially difficult since he wasn't entirely sure of why it was troubling him so much. Even so, he tried his best.   
  
"They...they all hate me," he said quietly. "All of those nobles. They think I'm garbage, and it's probably just because my old man can't keep it in his goddamn pants. In other words...they think I'm some kind of freak just for existing." He laughed bitterly. "And, I mean...it'd be one thing if they hated me for something I'd actually done, the way my old man does...but they don't have any reason to hate me, because they don't even know me!"   
  
After a moment, Gabriel spoke up. "Escher, if I may say so...if all of those people did truly know you, then they'd know there's no reason whatsoever to hate you."   
  
Escher blinked. "Huh?"   
  
"I think you know exactly what I mean." He looked at Escher with a serious expression. "While you may have somewhat of a rude sense of humor and a strong will that often borders on being oppositional just for the sake of being so...you are a brave young man with a kind heart, even if you'll deny such a thing wholeheartedly when someone tells you as much. You strive for equal treatment of all, regardless of the circumstances of one's birth, instead choosing to base your assessments of others on whether or not they are a good person at their core. The fact that those... _guests_ are judging you so harshly...it makes my blood boil, quite frankly!"   
  
Escher smiled. "I guess so...I don't think I've ever seen you this fired up."   
  
"I-I'm being serious! Please, know that I am proud to serve you, Escher...and that as long as you remain true to yourself, I will always be."   
  
His attempt to dispel his own discomfort with such praise by using humor only backfired, and Escher felt a little embarrassed. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, trying to think of what to say.   
  
"I, uh...I will. Stay true to myself, that is..." Just in time, he thought of a fitting way to end that thought. "But...only if you repeat that whole speech in front of Lisette sometime. She'd probably be impressed."   
  
Gabriel sighed, his cheeks turning an obvious shade of pink. "I-I don't see what she has to do with any of this..."   
  
"Because it's really obvious you're into her," Escher said with a shrug. "And I don't get why you don't just tell her so!"   
  
Before Gabriel could answer, however, Escher saw his father round a corner and begin walking toward the two of them. He sighed heavily.   
  
"Damn," he muttered. "The old son of a bitch noticed I was gone that quickly?"   
  
"Escher!" his father called out, walking even more quickly. "What in blazes are you doing over here?! You're supposed to be following along with the tour of the manor!"   
  
Escher looked up at him with a smirk. "Oh, you had already started with the tour? I couldn't figure out why the sound of you talking sounded even more like cheese-cutting than usual." He felt a sense of pride when he saw Gabriel conspicuously turn his head, obviously trying not to laugh.   
  
"Excuse me?!" Lord Jakob asked furiously.   
  
"Whenever you open your mouth," Escher said, speaking very slowly, as though he were talking to a child, and a rather dimwitted one, at that. "It sounds like a bunch of fart noises. You're so full of hot air and just general stench that all of your words have become a bunch of-"   
  
"Not another word!" his father interrupted him. "Filthy child...you'll not imply such a thing again this evening!"   
  
" _I'm_ filthy?" Escher asked. "Come on, old man... _you're_ the one making the rude noises." He grimaced as his father began dragging him back toward where their guests presumably were. "Ugh...I thought I told you not to touch me. I don't even want to think about where your hands have been..."   
  
Soon enough, Escher saw the group of nobles again, and some of them looked amused upon his return. It wasn't long before one woman said exactly why.   
  
"Ah, so the young lord has returned!" she said cheerily. "Unsurprising that the boy got lost...I doubt he's ever lived in a home that was as exquisite as this one!"   
  
The group laughed along with her, and Escher felt anger bubbling up inside him again...those pompous asses. Did they really think he couldn't tell that he was being looked down upon? Or did they just not care.   
  
Regardless of what they thought, Escher knew one thing for certain: that this was going to be a _very_ long evening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And THAT was quite a long chapter! Sorry for the lack of updates recently...I've been having a bit of a block, and life has been keeping me busy. Hopefully I'll be updating more soon, though!


End file.
